Melodic Times January - Woody's Melodic Rock and AOR News Round Up

Grand
Slam
the band originally fronted by Phil Lynott in the mid-eighties shortly before
his untimely death have reunited for a live show at the Robin in Bilston on
June 6th. The band includes original Grand Slam members Mark Stanway
and Laurence Archer as well as Mickey Barker, Neil Murray and vocalist Steffan
Berggren (who we all know from Snakes In Paradise!). They will also play select
Thin Lizzy classics.

The Dio inspired super group Last In Line have released an audio video for the track ‘Martyr’
ahead of the debut album Heavy Crown release
in February via Frontiers Records.

Lords
of Black will release their imaginatively titled second album II through Frontiers records next March.
The album will feature the following songs ‘Merciless’, ‘Everything You’re
Not’, ‘Cry No More’ and ‘Ghost Of You’.

Pete Newdeck’s Tainted
Nation will release their second album On
The Outside in February through German label Pride and Joy. The album
features guest vocals from Nick Workman (Vega) and a duet out with the awesome
Issa on the track ‘Pulling Me Under’.

Nordic
Union have released another audio video from their
forthcoming self-titled album on Frontiers Records. Enjoy ‘The World Has Begun’
right here.

Vocalist David Glen Eisley and Guitarist Craig Goldy
have announced they will work together on a new melodic rock project. The pair
who worked together in Giuffria have stated the album will be written with that
classic eighties sound in mind. Eisley /
Goldy is been written and recorded right now but Frontiers Records hope to
release the album later in 2016.

Circus
Maximus have announced the details of their fourth album Havoc which will hit the streets in
March on Frontiers Records. It will include the tracks ‘Flames’, ‘Loved Ones’,
‘After The Fire’ and ‘Remember’.

Spanish rockers Airless
release a new EP and line-up in January. Check out their video for ‘Hey Money’
below.

Rage
of Angels return with The
Devils New Tricks in February on Escape Music, the second album follows hot
on the heels of the bands acclaimed debut Dreamworld.
This time band leader/composer Ged Rylands has chosen one vocalist rather
than multiple vocalists as on the debut. So popular melodic rock vocalist Rob
Moratti takes up mic stand on what is been touted as a far more commercial
album. The album will include the following tunes ‘Strangers In The Night’,
‘Love Will Never Die’, ‘In and Out Of Love’ and ‘I Feel It In My Heart’.

Spanish melodic rockers The Val have released a new video to accompany their latest album Heading for the Surface for the track
‘Crusaders’ which you can check out here.

Art
Nation have released a video for the song ‘Need You To
Understand’ check it below. It’s the opening cut from their album Revolution out now on AOR Heaven. One
for H.E.A.T fans to lose their shit over, I’m not a fan of H.E.A.T but I do
like these guys they are like H.E.A.T only with decent songs, definitely an
album worth picking up and remember to crank ‘Start A Fire’ up loudly when you
do!

The Soto
album Inside The Vertigo has been out
quite some time but they are still pushing it with a new lyric video for ‘When
I’m Older’. The album came out to mixed responses, I have to admit it was a
little harder for me to click with than his more obvious melodic releases, but
this track is one of the more commercial ones so check it out.

I’ve always been a big fan of Heartland and vocalist Chris Ousey so the announcement he has
a new solo album ready to drop was met by a massive grin from me. It’ll be on Escape
Music and following the disappointing Ozone album where Ousey sang alongside
another favourite of mine FM’s Steve Overland, I’m hoping this one rivals
Ousey’s previous solo outing Rhyme &
Reason for awesomeness. Check out the lyric video for ‘Another Runaway’
here.

The legend that is Rick Springfield has a new album out in February entitled Rocket Science and it will be on
Frontiers Records. To get your juices pumping in advance here’s the official
audio video for the track ‘Down’ enjoy.

Tony
Harnell has officially announced his departure from Skid Row. It seems he was unhappy in
the band and how he was treated, which is a great shame as Harnell in the band
re-ignited some of my passion for the band. So Skid Row are back on the hunt
for a new singer and Harnell moves onto other projects. Cue lots of Bach is
back in Skid Row rumours…

Former Europe guitarist Kee Marcello is back this autumn for another UK tour including a
show at the Robin in Bilston on September 22nd. For those who missed
his performance at The River Rooms last Autumn here’s another chance to see the
man perform and expect a handful of Europe classic’s thrown in the mix!

Resurrection
Kings have released the first official audio video from
their forthcoming debut album on Frontiers Records at the end of January. Check
out ‘Path Of Love’ here.

UK classic rockers Inglorious have released an official lyric video to accompany the
track ‘High Flying Gypsy’ ahead of their debut album’s release. It hits the
shelves in February on Frontiers Records alongside a UK tour including a date
at the Robin in Bilston on the 24th of February.

One of my favourite discoveries of the last few weeks
of 2015 is Italian’s Zaneta. They
released their album Tales From The Sun
in December via Lions Pride Music and it is really well worth checking out. I
have just discovered they also have a music video, which is coincidentally my
favourite song on the album. Crank up ‘Feel You Now’ and prepare to become
addicted!

Yes
will
tour the UK and Europe in April and May including a show at Birmingham Symphony
Hall on the 6th of May. The plan is to play their Drama and Fragile album’s in full alongside select classic’s like ‘Owner Of A
Lonely Heart’.

Well that’s all the juicy bits of news from
the past month; I’ll be back in a month’s time with even more news and gossip
from the world of AOR and melodic rock.